This is the first time that Doug Margerum has parsed out a single-vineyard expression from his Sta. Rita Hills blend for this label, and it's easy to see why. On the nose, sagebrush and blackberry converge with gamy meats, while the extremely zippy palate offers black-raspberry, lavender, white-pepper and duck-fat flavors.
PRICE $80

DESIGNATION

Sanford & Benedict Vineyard

VARIETY

Pinot Noir

APPELLATION

Sta. Rita Hills, Central Coast, California, US

WINERY

Barden

ALCOHOL 13.3%

MATT KETTMANN @mattkettmann Contributing Editor

A fifth generation Californian originally from San Jose, Matt Kettmann covers California’s Central Coast and South Coast for the magazine. He is also the senior editor of The Santa Barbara Independent, where he’s worked since 1999, has written for the New York Times, Time Magazine, Wine Spectator, and Smithsonian, and co-founded New Noise Santa Barbara, a music festival.
Email: mkettmann@wineenthusiast.net